Imperial Dominion of Korea 대한제국의 통치 帝韓國㚁 統治 Daehanjegug-ui Tongchi (Korean) 北韓帝國統治 Běihán Dìguó Tǒngzhì (Chinese) OTE: North and South Korea |
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| Capital | Seoul | ||||
| Official languages | Korean, Chinese | ||||
| Ethnic groups | Koreans (90%) Chinese (7%) Others (3%) |
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| Demonym | Korean | ||||
| Government | Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy | ||||
| - | Emperor | Bunyung | |||
| - | Prime Minister | Yoon Suk Yeol | |||
| - | Upper House | Yangban | |||
| - | Lower House | Jungchuwon | |||
| Population | |||||
| - | estimate | 77,000,000 | |||
| GDP (nominal) | estimate | ||||
| - | Total | $4.4 trillion | |||
| Currency | Won (₩) |
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The Empire of Korea (Korean: 대한제국의 통치, 帝韓國㚁 統治, Daehanjegug-ui Tongchi; Chinese: 北韓帝國統治, Běihán Dìguó Tǒngzhì) also known as Korea, is a country located in East Asia. It borders China to the north, and shares maritime borders with Japan.
The earliest radiocarbon dates for the Paleolithic sites found in Korea indicate human presence goes back to 40,000 and 30,000 BC. The first state to emerge was Gojoseon, which fell to the Han Dynasty in 108 BC. During the first half of the 1st millennium, Korea was divided between three states, Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla, together known as the Three Kingdoms of Korea. In the late 7th century, Silla conquered Baekje and Goguryeo with the aid of the Tang Dynasty, and drove the Tang out of Korea during the Silla-Tang War. Meanwhile, Balhae, formed by Goguryeo remnants and Mohe people, succeeded Goguryeo in the north. Unified Silla eventually collapsed into three separate states due to civil war, known as the Later Three Kingdoms.
Toward the end of the Later Three Kingdoms, Goguryeo was resurrected as Goryeo, which defeated the two other states and unified Korea as a single sovereign state. Around this time, Balhae collapsed and its last crown prince and much of its ruling class fled to Goryeo, unifying the two successor states of Goguryeo. Goryeo (also spelled as Koryŏ), whose name developed into the modern exonym "Korea", was a highly cultured state that created the world's first metal movable type in 1234. During the 13th century, the Mongol Empire made Goryeo its vassal state after decades of war. Although Goryeo overthrew Mongol rule, it fell to a coup led by General Yi Seong-gye, who established Joseon on 17 July 1392. The first 200 years of Joseon were marked by relative peace, and during this time the Korean alphabet was created by Sejong the Great and Confucianism became increasingly influential in the kingdom. However, this ended with the Japanese invasions of Korea and the 1636, which brought great devastation to Joseon and lead to Korean isolationism. After the end of these invasions, Joseon experienced a nearly 200-year period of peace and prosperity, along with cultural and technological development. In Joseon's final years, it experienced turmoil such as the Gapsin Coup, Donghak Peasant Revolution, and the assassination of Empress Myeongseong. In 1897, the Korean Empire was established to protect Korean independence. However, following Japan's victories in the First Sino-Japanese War and Russo-Japanese War, Japan annexed it altogether in 1910.
In 1945, Japan relinquished control over Korea after formally surrendering to the Allies, in the aftermath of World War II. The Russian Empire and the United States had agreed to partition Korea along the 38th parallel. These circumstances became the basis for the division of Korea. Tensions between the two Koreas resulted in North Korea invading South Korea and the outbreak of the First Korean War in 1950. With involvement by foreign troops, the war ended in a stalemate in 1953, but without a formalised peace treaty. North Korea launched a surprise attack concurrently with the Vietnam War, and after the Sino-Russian conflict, the entire Korean Peninsula was united under a pro-Chinese monarchy that still also depended on Russia for military support, but evidently, Korea was regarded as a Chinese ally.
Today, Korea is part of the Shanghai Pact, and the Five Dragon Alliance, and is a fully-developed country.
History[]
Three Kingdoms Era[]
Same as our OT
Unified dynasties[]
Japanese occupation[]
Imperial Japan severely diminished the influence of China over Korea in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–95), ushering in the short-lived Korean Empire. A decade later, after defeating Imperial Russia in the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05), Japan made the Korean Empire its protectorate with the Eulsa Treaty in 1905, then annexed it with the Japan–Korea Annexation Treaty in 1910. After that, the Korean Empire fell, and Korea was directly ruled by Japan from 1910 to 1945.
Many Korean nationalists fled the country. The Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea was founded in 1919 in Nationalist China. It failed to achieve international recognition, failed to unite the various nationalist groups, and had a fractious relationship with its U.S.-based founding president, Syngman Rhee. From 1919 to 1925 and beyond, Korean communists led internal and external warfare against the Japanese but the defeat of the Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil War led to the easy extermination of Korean communists.
In China, the nationalist National Revolutionary Army helped organize Korean refugees against the Japanese military, which had also occupied parts of China. The Nationalist-backed Koreans, led by Yi Pom-Sok, fought in the Burma campaign (December 1941 – August 1945).
At the Cairo Conference in November 1943, China, the United Kingdom, Russia and the United States all decided that "in due course Korea shall become free and independent".
The effects of the Chinese Civil War between monarchists and the Kuomintang had a direct impact on Korea. The Chinese and Russian-backed monarchists wanted to retain the institutions established by Imperial Japan, and keeping the royal family alive, under a pro-allied government.
In the south, Syngman Rhee led the Republic of Korea against the remnant Empire of Korea led by Generalissimo Kim Suk-won who considered Prince Imperials Yeong, the Crown Prince of Korea, to be the Head of State.
Kim Suk-won was supported by the Russians, and although the Chinese were hesitant to do so due to his collaboration with Imperial Japan, however Kim Sul-won offered Korea as a vassalage to China.
Cold War & Korean War[]
In the aftermath of the Second World War, Korea was divided between two rivaling governments: the Pyongyang government or "North Korea" headed by General Park Chung-hee, and the Seoul government or "South Korea" headed by Syngman Rhee. The North Koreans were supported by Russia and China (as well as North China). The North Koreans favored keeping former Japanese collaborators, feeling that they would contribute to the growth and well-being of the future Korean state, however the South Koreans wanted them handed over and imprisoned. Former Japanese collaborators formed the overwhelming majority of the Pyongyang Government.
The division also showed in the religious nature of the two. The North Koreans followed religions traditional to the East Asian region, namely Buddhism, Confucianism, Cheondoism and Mugyok (Korean Folk Religion). To the South however, these religious were viewed as outdated and parasitic, and the population spawned a large Christian population - which, enjoyed privileges.
The situation would eventually devolved into the Korean War, when the North Koreans invaded South Korea. After a three-year back-and-forth attrition, the Imperialist forces of the north, backed by Russia and China, emerged victorious with the Fall of Seoul.
Economic rise[]
Much like the way North Korea started off economically better than the South, the unified Empire of Korea underwent massive reforms, and economic prosperity. During this time, the first national Five-Year Plan (1956–1961) was implemented, becoming an important factor in the Miracle on the Han River. It aimed to develop the nation's economy through expansion of agriculture and energy industries such as coal and electric power; development of basic industries such as chemical fertilizer, cement, oil refinery, iron, and steel; expansion of social overhead capital including roads, railways, and ports; full utilisation of idle resources including increased employment; conservation and utilisation of land; export promotion to improve the balance of payments; and promotion of science and technology. While this first Five-Year Plan did not bring about an immediately self-reliant economy, it brought a period of growth and modernization in preparation for long-term economic success and policy reform. Park Ching-hee also, unlike Syngman Rhee, was also a Buddhist and not a Christian, and while still granting Christians full religious freedoms, even that of serving in the government, looked down on Christianity and promoted what he referred to as the "Great Religions of Korea" - namely Buddhist, Korean Folk Religion, Confucianism and Cheondoism, and considered China and Russia as the cradles of civilization for Korea to follow.
Park's motto of "treating employees like family" has been credited with increasing productivity within the South Korean workforce and thus as contributing to the nation's economic success. Park's national reputation as a leader has met mixed receptions[who?]: while praised for his contributions to South Korea's economic recovery, contemporary commentators also criticize him for systematic disregard of human rights and media censorship (because of anti-communist sentiment) as part of a military dictatorship. In the one-party regime of the SCNR, the leading party answered to a small constituency of the ruling or military elite, and South Korea's economic restoration was prioritised at the expense of human rights as Park utilized the abundant supply of cheap labor.
At the same time, morality laws established mandatory curfews and regulations on attire and music. In his program of Yushin Kaehyuk (Revitalizing Reforms), he caused Korean cinema to enter into a moribund period considered by many to be the lowest periods in the history of Korean cinema. Park had believed that South Korea was not ready to be a full democratic nation nor a free nation. As he stated, "Democracy cannot be realized without an economic revolution." Park argued that the poverty of the nation would make it vulnerable, and therefore an urgent task was to eliminate poverty rather than establish a democratic nation. During his presidency the Korean Central Intelligence Agency became a much feared institution and the government frequently imprisoned dissenters.
Culture[]
Korean culture is very Chinese-influenced, and little traces of pre-Sinofied Korean culture exist. Due to the Japanese occupation in the late 1800s on to the Second World War, Koreans have also adopted lots of Japanese influence.
Language[]
Korean is the national language of the country. It is either considered an Altaic or language isolate. Officially-speaking, the language is written in two scripts, the Hangul (native) script and the Hanja (Chinese-based) script. Korean language is a mandatory compulsory-subject in all schools. The language is written in two alphabets: the Hangul and Hanja, with the latter being Chinese-based script. Both are official scripts within Korea. Outside of Korea, there are also Korean-speaking communities in China, Japan, Russia, the United States, Canada, New Guinea, France and the United Kingdom.
Additionally, Mandarin or Standard Chinese is also a co-official language in the country, due to the centuries-long ties with China, and is used mostly in business and even spirituality, its own dialect known as Korean Mandarin, and officially registered as Hanmun, which was the term used to refer to Literary Chinese during the ancient era. The status of Hanmun amongst the regular Koreans is akin to Spanish in the United States, it is the most heavily-studied language apart from the native national Korean. An estimated 55.7% of Koreans are proficient in Hanmun, and another 88.7% are familiar in Simple Chinese. The co-usage of Hanja has made learning Hanmun much more easier. Korea proudly touts itself as being part of the Sinosphere.
Other languages spoken in Korea are Japanese, Russian and English. Japanese has been growing popularity as another language, due to the high economic ties with Japan, and large numbers of Koreans involved in anime and karate, and there is a push to make Japanese recognized publicly alongside Korean and Chinese, however Korean nationalists feel that this may degrade the national identity of Korea. A poll recently showed that 10.5% of Korean citizens are Japonophone.
Religion[]
The three major religions in Korea are Buddhism, Korean Folk Religion, Confucianism and Christianity. Like in China and Japan, Confucianism is party of Korean daily life, even amongst those who don't properly refer to themselves as Confucians. Korean Folk Religion bears heavy resemblances to Chinese Taoism and Japanese Shintoism.
The majority of Koreans are Buddhist by a bare margin, at 34.5%. Most Koreans follow they own sect of Buddhism, known by Tongbulgyo (通佛敎/통불교) and contains doctrinal differences to the Mahayana Buddhism of China.
Nobility and royalty[]
The House of Joseon (朝鮮/조선) are the current ruling family of Korea. Like Japan. They ruled by the Yi clan of the Joseon dynasty. The current Emperor of Korea is the Beon-yeong Emperor, or known by his secular name Yi Ku.
The House of Nambu Wang-Gug (目地㚁/남부 왕국) is descended from the line of King Sanghwandoem I, also known by his secular name Park Chung-hee, They rule the Southern Realm, the former areas of the former Republic of Korea.
Politics[]
Like most monarchies in the modern world, Korea follows a constitutional monarchy system. The Emperor of Korea is the current Head of State, while his Prime Minister is the current Head of Government. Prime Ministers are elected every 5 years.
Territorial administrations[]
Kingdoms/Prefectures[]
The Kingdom (地埁/왕국, wang-gug) is largest sub-territorial administration within Korea. Its non-monarchial equivalent is the prefecture (了/현). Currently, there are two kingdoms, the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom.
Principalities/Governorates[]
Military[]
The Royal Korean Forces (簡㚁翹了/한국군) are the official military forces of the Empire of Korea. They include the Royal Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Rocket Force and Royal Navy. The Royal Korean Forces is considered a highly-developed military, however its sophisticated military imports its supplies from China, Japan and Russia. The Korean military as the third-highest military budget in East Asia, at $73.5 billion (₩154.3 billion).
Much like the militaries of China, Japan and Russia, the Royal Korean Forces have put an emphasis on their naval and aerial capabilities, and now operates the 4th-largest navy in East Asia. It operates one Liaoning-class aircraft carrier. The Royal Korean Navy has been classified as a blue-water navy, however Korean leaders have expressed that the country is not interested in establishing overseas bases.
Technology and Sciences[]
Like Japan, China and Russia, Korea is considered is a center of science, technology and learning in East Asia. Korea is one of the top producers of automobiles, machinery and electronics. Samsung (삼성/三星) is one of the world's top mobile and electronics companies and Hyundai (현대자동차/現代自動車) is one of the world's top automobile companies.
Korea is also involved in space exploration, during the Cold War, Korea's space program was tied with China's, and still is. The Royal Korean Space Agency (왕립우주국 In total, four Koreans have gone up into space in Chinese space shuttles. Additionally, Korea, China and Japan operate a tri-space facility in Pyongyang, the Royal Pyongyang Space Facility, as well as the Naro Space Center. The three space agencies launched their joint mission in 2011.
Economy[]
The economy of Korea is one of the strongest in Asia, and this is also enriched by the close-knit economic cooperation with the surrounding nations of China, Japan and Russia. Korea is notable for its rapid economic development from an underdeveloped nation to a developed, high-income country in a few generations. This economic growth has been described as the Miracle on the Han River, which has allowed it to join the OECD and the G20. Korea remains one of the fastest-growing developed countries in the world following the Great Recession.
Korea's education system and the establishment of a motivated and educated populace were largely responsible for spurring the country's high technology boom and economic development. Korea began to adapt an export-oriented economic strategy to fuel its economy. In 2022, South Korea was the ninth largest exporter and ninth largest importer in the world. The Royal Bank of Korea and the Korea Development Institute periodically release major economic indicators and economic trends of the economy of Korea.
Renowned financial organisations, such as the International Monetary Fund, notes the resilience of the Korean economy against various economic crises. They cite the country's economic advantages as reasons for this resilience, including low state debt, and high fiscal reserves that can quickly be mobilised to address any expected financial emergencies. Other financial organizations, like the World Bank, describe Korea as one of the fastest-growing major economies of the next generation, along with BRICS and Indonesia. Korea was one of the few developed countries that was able to avoid a recession during the Great Recession. Its economic growth rate reached 6.2% in 2010, a recovery from economic growth rates of 2.3% in 2008 and 0.2% in 2009, during the Great Recession. The Korean economy again recovered with the record-surplus of US$70.7 billion mark of the current account at the end of 2013, up 47 percent growth from 2012. This growth contrasted with the uncertainties of the global economic turmoil, with the country's major economic output being the technology products exports.
Much of Korean wealth is also owed to the fact that it is a member of the Shanghai Pact, along with China, Nanyang and countries in Southeast Asia - and is a member of the Four Dragon Alliance. Koreans enjoy visa-free travel and general ease of trade movement to and from these countries. Additionally, Korea has signed a similar pact with neighboring Japan, where the two countries also enjoy the same perks as the Shanghai Pact.